Do not freeze fresh mushrooms. Sauté them first and then freeze for up to a month.

Source: Mushroom Council

“We still handpick all of our mushrooms,” said Linda Phillips Steller, leading an impromptu tour of the family business, Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square. “We grow shiitake mushrooms in those houses down there.”

It’s National Mushroom Month, and growers have plenty to celebrate. Exotics like shiitake, enoki and oyster are trending with U.S. sales topping $96 million last year, up 4-percent.

“I think the consumers are learning more,” explained Daniel Rahn, project manager at the American Mushroom Institute. “They’re taking an interest in varieties that in the past were not as popular, but they’re showing up more on store shelves and in restaurants.”

Nutrition’s a big draw.

“People are watching their diet. Mushrooms are healthy. No doubt about it,” said Jim Angelucci, Phillips’ general manager. “Oyster mushrooms have some of the same compounds as the statins that we take.”

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“A lot of people like them for their medicinal value,” agreed Joe Evans of Oley Valley Mushroom Farm. “I have a lot of people asking me about lion’s mane (aka pom pom) mushrooms. Supposedly, they’re good for MS and lupus.”

Plus, “it’s a tasty mushroom,” he said. “If you sauté them in butter, they taste like lobster.”

Another favorite: maitake, dubbed hen-of-the-woods for its ruffled appearance.

“I would say it’s just pure umami. It’s just got a very rich, wonderful flavor,” described Dorene Pasekoff of Hill Creek Farm in Pottstown, who discovered wild ones on her property. “They do help the farm’s bottom line.”

Back at Phillips, the tour continued in the mushroom museum, where visitors enter a climate-controlled room, featuring maitake and more.

“We’ve seen a rise in maitake with the chefs,” said Jill Phillips Gray, Steller’s sister. “Shiitake’s probably the most popular of the specialty mushrooms with the consumer.”

Make your own shiitake “bacon” or shiitake mushroom spread.

“The uses of mushrooms are limited only by your imagination,” Angelucci added. “You can get them every day, and you can use them in every way.”

Shiitake Bacon

Ingredients

Shiitake mushrooms

Olive oil

Shiitake finishing salt/sea salt

Instructions

Remove stems and thinly slice the caps. Toss in bowl with olive oil and salt. Spread on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until crispy. Enjoy on soups, salads or right off the pan.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, cook and stir until golden, about 5 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir until mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Add sherry, salt, black pepper and thyme; cook and stir for 1 minute; cool. In a food processor, combine mushroom mixture, cream cheese and mayonnaise; process until smooth. Place in a covered container; chill at least 1 hour. Serve with crackers and sweet pepper strips. Serves 10 to 12.

RECIPE COURTESY OF PHILLIPS MUSHROOM FARMS

Pom Pom Bake

Ingredients

1 pound pom pom mushrooms, torn into 1/2-inch pieces

6 cups fresh spinach, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

¼ pound Gruyère, grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, toss together mushrooms, spinach and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese melts and has lightly browned. Makes 4 cups.

RECIPE COURTESY OF PHILLIPS MUSHROOM FARMS

The Woodlands at Phillips Pom Pom Crab Cakes

Ingredients

1 pound pom pom mushrooms

½ stick of butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon Old Bay (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup garlic aioli or mayonnaise

2 eggs

¼ cup bread or cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons fresh minced chives

Instructions

Dice the pom pom mushrooms and sauté in butter until slightly softened. Mix the pom pom mushrooms with remaining ingredients. Shape into cakes and sauté 5 to 7 minutes per side. Top with truffle aioli.

Truffle Aioli

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1 cup canola oil

½ cup truffle oil

Instructions

In Cuisinart, blend eggs, vinegar and salt. Using a drip tube, add oils with machine running.